How a Campground Becomes a Community

Joe and I will soon be celebrating our second anniversary of retirement and our full-time RV lifestyle. What a fabulous 2 years it has been.We have seen so much beauty in our country and met so many wonderful and interesting people.But just this last weekend we realized how a campground becomes our neighborhood or community and the wonderful people that surround us every day and we don’t even realize it.

We are still in Winton Woods County Park campground in Cincinnati, OH and the 200 plus sites fill up every weekend with families and their dogs. Joe and I kept Zach’s Great Dane with us as his house is torn apart with the kitchen remodel.In the middle of the day on Saturday we decided to take Hope out for a walk around the campground.As we approached an area of the campground that is always crowded and before either of us knew what was happening, I was flipped up in the air and landed on the back of my head on the asphalt by a large golden retriever that had not been on a leash and wanted to greet Hope.I heard the crack of my head as it hit the asphalt and the pain was so intense.But just that quick a woman who was an ET was kneeling alongside me and soon followed by a paramedic that had been riding by on his bike both were campers in the park.As I lay on the ground neither of these two people left my side until the police and ambulance came.Before I go any farther, a check by the paramedic that came in the ambulance thought I should go to emergency and be checked out.Joe and I opted to drive ourselves to the hospital and after a CT scan were diagnosed with just a minor concussion.But back to our “community”, I don’t think Joe and I ever thought about how we live in an ever changing community where we can count on our neighbors when we have an emergency.That evening we had the Park Ranger and the park host stopped by to make sure I was ok.

Our “community” may change often but we know that we are always close to good people. We also will continue to follow our own advice to enjoy each day and each other to the fullest because you never know when that “dog” may come into your life and make a minor disruption or could make a major one.

I believe you learn something from each experience you have in life. These are what I learned from my “dog” experience:

·We are always surrounded by wonderful people.

·I have a fabulous husband and sometimes I just need a tap on the head to remind me to tell him.

·You have a headache for many days after you hit your head on the asphalt.

·I have a very hard head but Joe could have told you that – it’s called stubbornness.

·Always be thankful for the small bumps in life because it could have been a big bump.

Appreciate the ones you love and your surrounds. Stay safe and love to all!